Ice buildup on an aircraft surface can be a major safety hazard. Ice buildup on the wings, engine inlets, and air data probes, as well as other possible surfaces, can change the operational characteristics of an aircraft to a point that the aircraft is unable to safely takeoff or continue operations while in flight. Ice can form on leading edges of the plane, increasing the possibility of a stall condition and increasing drag. Thus, in certain conditions, the formation or possibility of formation of ice on certain surfaces of an aircraft can be a serious safety issue.
Conventional ice detection, removal and prevention techniques can involve the use of chemicals such as heated glycol diluted with water to remove ice and unheated, undiluted glycol for reducing the probability of ice buildup after removal. Conventional techniques may also involve heating elements built within the wing or other leading edge surfaces. The heating elements may be hot air flowing through ducts dispersed within the wing structure. The hot air is designed to warm the surface, causing collected ice to melt or to prevent the formation of ice in the first place.
Another heating element technique may be a wire or wire mesh structure built within the wing surface. A current may be passed through the wire or wire mesh, causing heat buildup. The heat, if sufficient, can melt collected ice or prevent the buildup of ice. Another technique is the use of physical shock to remove ice. For example, a deicing boot can be inflated on a surface of the plane. The inflation causes the ice to crack, thus removing the ice from the plane. In another example, an electric transducer can be activated to cause a momentary physical shock, cracking the ice in a similar way as the deicing boot.
Conventional detection and deicing techniques can have some limitations. For example, solutions that use hot air often require retrofitting or adding to the structure of the aircraft. These solutions can also suffer from low efficiency. In another example, heating techniques using wires or wire meshes can have low reliability caused by their sensitivity to vibrations and movements during the normal operation of the aircraft. These types of heating solutions can also significantly increase the cost of manufacture, as integrating the wires or mesh with the aircraft structure often requires additional manufacturing steps. The use of chemicals may also have limitations as well. The chemicals used to deice aircraft are often not environmentally friendly, requiring the use of chemical containment systems to prevent or reduce the possibility of contaminating the environment when used.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure herein is presented.